“No,” she said, meeting my eyes. “But it gets easier to carry.”
We stood there for a moment, both quiet.
Then she smiled, small but real. “Zeke helps. Having someone who understands, who doesn’t treat me like I’ll break… that makes it easier.”
“I don’t have a Zeke,” I said before I could stop myself.
Sable tilted her head. “No. But you’ve got you. And that’s more powerful than you think.”
Her words landed right where I needed, not comfort, but truth.
“I’m here, though,” she added, softer now. “Anytime you need to talk. About the past, the nightmares, the fire — any of it. You’re not alone in that anymore.”
I swallowed hard, the tightness in my chest easing just a little. “Thanks, Sable.”
She pushed off the dresser and gave me a soft smile. “You’re brave, Lark. To do what you did to get us out, that took a strong woman. So, stop worrying, you’ll be fine.”
When she left, the room felt different — not lighter exactly, but better.
I looked at myself in the mirror, brushing my hair back. For a moment, I saw the sixteen-year-old girl I used to be — scared, obedient, small.
Then I blinked, and she was gone.
In her place stood the woman I had become. Someone who learned to stand her ground, even when she shouldn’t have.
I grabbed my jacket, squared my shoulders, and whispered to my reflection, “You’ve got this.”
And for the first time, I believed it.
***
LUCY PICKED MEup mid-morning, engine rumbling and music loud enough to drown out the noise in my head. She introduced me to her friend Oliver, who rode with us. The ride into Charleston was quick, one of those sun-bright, wind-blown stretches that blurred past in light and nerves and too many scattered thoughts.
Lucy talked most of the way, which helped. She filled the drive with everything I needed to know, about the guys, the club, the bar, what to expect, who to ignore, and how Spinner was “definitely behaving but absolutely always on thin ice.”
By the time we pulled into the lot outside High Voltage, my pulse had settled, but my palms were damp. Not with fear, fear was something I knew too well, but with the alertness that came from stepping into a world I didn’t understand yet but was determined to face head-on.
The place looked nothing like I’d expected. It wasn’t a dark dive crawling with problems. It looked… intentional. Brick walls. Clean glass. Metal trim catching the morning light. The neon sign glowed red and black:High Voltage.
Bold. Confident. Alive.
A place that felt like it wanted to be seen.
Lucy threw the car into park and grinned. “Here we are, Lark. Time to make some money and maybe even attract some hot men.”
“Lucy,” Oliver groaned. “Don’t scare her.”
“Scare Lark?” She shot me a warm look. “Please. She’s tougher than both of us.”
I huffed out a laugh and tightened my grip on my purse. “I can handle this.”
“Oh, I’m sure you can handle anything,” she said. “And if not, I’ll sic Spinner on whoever gives you grief.”
Right on cue, the low rumble of a Harley cut through the air. Spinner pulled in beside us, swung off his bike, and slid his sunglasses up just enough to look at me.
“Wasn’t gonna miss your first day,” he said. “You’ll do fine. Chain runs a clean place.”
His reassurance helped… until we stepped inside.
